


Genius of Hardwork

by Coolness121



Category: Naruto, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Class 1-B-centric (My Hero Academia), Gen, POV Minor Character, Youth!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:43:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27691583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolness121/pseuds/Coolness121
Summary: Rock Lee was a boy, like many, who dreamed of becoming a hero. Unlike everyone else, though, he was born without a Quirk. Without one, society said you couldn't become a Pro Hero. Was he going to let that stop him? No! He might not have been born gifted, but he would keep working hard and never give up! He would show the world that even without a Quirk he could become a splendid hero!
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1:

Ch. 1: Cost of A Dream

.  
.  
.

The afternoon was largely a peaceful one in a small, quaint town in Japan. The sun shined bright in the clear blue sky, warming the white and blue colored homes with birds tweeting from their place in the trees between homes and on the streets.

"C'MON, LEE! IF WE CANNOT COMPLETE OUR HUNDRED LAPS AROUND THE CITY ON OUR FEET THAN WE SHALL TRY AGAIN ON OUR HANDS!" A rich, masculine voice belted out to his protege. 

The voice belonged to an older man in a green and white striped tracksuit with white shoes. He stood at a neck-bending six feet tall with two thick, yet-perfectly-plucked eyebrows, a black bowl cut that gleamed under the sun, and a suspiciously white smile that was on full display as he ran with his apprentice. 

"YES, GUY-SENSEI! I WILL FINISH THIS LAST LAP BEFORE EVEN YOU!" The apprentice answered just as loudly. The apprentice was, well, the man but just...smaller. 

Literally. 

The 10-year-old running behind the man was nowhere near six feet, but he stood around five feet and had every feature aforementioned on the older man: the tracksuit, the bowl cut, the eyebrows, and the shoes. 

"YOSH! LEE, YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH ARE RAGING LIKE A WILDFIRE!" The man, Guy-Sensei, answered passionately. "IF YOU BEAT ME TO THE DOJO, LEE, I PROMISE TO TEACH YOU THAT NEW MOVE AS YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH WOULD THEN BE READY!"

The man smiled to himself as he began to speed up. The boy, Lee, let off a "YOSH!" before pumping his legs harder to match his sensei's long stride. 

He and his sensei were in the last stretch before they reached the dojo, a straight away street, and they were neck and neck. A few more blocks and they'd be there. Lee could literally see the green roof of the dojo in the distance. He couldn't lose now with his goal within sight! 

Lee dug deep, pushing his legs to go even faster. His heart pounded in his chest and his legs burned, but he ignored it all to go faster and faster. Street signs blurred by as He pulled ahead. It was one step then two and then he was an arm's length ahead of his sensei. Lee couldn't help smiling as he ran, the sweet feeling of triumph filling him. He would do it! 

To his dismay, he heard his sensei's footsteps quicken from behind him. He could feel his sensei beginning to close the gap, but Lee refused! He forced his legs to move even faster, the wind began whooshing in his ears and he felt his hair flopping back. The street became a blur with how fast he was going. 

His sensei wasn't one to make things easy, and he started running faster, nearly matching Lee's pace easily it seemed. Lee didn't dare risk a glance at his sensei and put his focus into jeopardy. No, he'd win this contest of youth and show Guy-Sensei that he was ready for the new technique. 

Lee clenched his teeth and threw one foot in front of the other as fast as he could, he powered through the burn in his legs. Faster he ran until he felt he could go no faster. This was it - this was as fast as he could go, but Sensei was getting faster. 

And he was almost there. The wide green-roofed dojo sat underneath the big winding cherry blossom tree that awaited its season to blossom. 

Lee reached deep, through the exhaustion and the pain and found...something.

Something that he couldn't see but he could feel. Feel it warm with energy that sent tingles down his spine and snapped with the crackle of a fire. Lee reached for it, felt its touch, and was born again.

Like he'd been struck with a lightning bolt, Lee felt supercharged. Like he'd been given a new pair of lungs and legs. And he ran faster than before, faster than Sensei. His legs were eating up the sidewalk, his peripherals were nothing but a blurred mess of color and he felt so go-

He tripped and suddenly he was sailing through the air. It felt like time had slowed down, as he sailed and over end through the air. He looked and could see Sensei, Crystal clear in his sweatsuit. He looked surprised with a slightly gaping mouth. Lee guessed him suddenly tripping would be surprising.

Then he saw the sun. And its heat, its power connected with something in him and he felt like how the sun felt for a moment. Bright and powerful.

Then he slammed butt first into the grass and the moment was over. Lee found himself gasping for breath as his backside throbbed in pain. His lungs grabbed for breath so hard he choked and coughed. His mouth felt dry and his tongue felt like he hadn't gotten a drink of water in days. What was that feeling just then? Where did that energy come from? Has he...

But no, there was no way. Lee felt his breath hitch in his throat as his thoughts ran wild. He'd never felt like that before. Maybe his chance had come!

Lee forgot about his fatigue and tried to recreate that feeling before he lost it. He closed his eyes and tried to remember how it all felt. There was this hot, electrifying energy like he'd been supercharged. It couldn't be that hard to find again if it was a Quirk, right? 

"Lee," 

All he had to do was find it again. Reach deep and find that spot of energy that made him feel like the sun. Maybe it was a Quirk that had to do with fire. The Heat would make sense then. 

"Lee, stop."

Or maybe it was electricity? Something that would charge him up and make him unstoppable surely, and then he could-

"Lee!" 

A pair of heavy hands clamping down on his shoulders jarred Lee from his task. Lee opened his eyes to see his sensei staring at him with his brows furrowed and staring at him intently. 

Lee felt a flash of irritation shoot through him. He was so close! He could feel it. Why did Sensei interrupt him?

Sensei took his hands off Lee's shoulders and folded them over his knee. Lee realized he was still on his butt in the grass and Guy-Sensei had come over to kneel next to him. Wasn't he just down the street?

Wait, this was perfect. He had such good news!

"Sensei you won't believe it," Lee felt a smile break out across his face. "I think I've found it."

Sensei raised a thick brow in confusion, and Lee couldn't believe his Sensei wasn't getting the message. 

"A Quirk Sensei," Lee said and sensei's confusion cleared up in a snap. "I think I found my Quirk. I can't believe it!"

Lee looked up at the sky, letting the beautiful blue, and watched the soft white wisps float by for a moment. Imagining not for the first time what it would be like to have a Quirk. 

Sensei cleared his throat to get Lee's attention. "What," Sensei started off slowly. "Did it feel like Lee?" He asked.

Lee thought about it and found the answer easily enough. He'd remember that moment forever. 

"It felt like I'd found a well of starlight - like the sun but smaller," he said, then paused trying to find the words. He needed to explain it just right so his Sensei wouldn't think he was crazy. "It felt like fire - hot and bright. But it was also electric - tingly, in an odd way. It felt like I had all my energy restored at that moment like we hadn't spent the day running laps around town."

Lee looked expectantly to his Sensei, waiting, and watching to see how he'd react. To his building disappointment, his Sensei tucked in his lips and looked away. Lee knew that look and felt all his hopeful cheer begin to leak away.

"This, this isn't like those other times, Sensei," Lee tried to explain, clinging onto the hope in his chest. "I know what I felt. This time was different. It was unreal. If you'd felt it, you'd be," Lee trailed off as he remembered the feeling again.

It was entrancing how good it felt. Lee had to feel like that again. 

"Amazed?" His sensei's sudden question knocked him for a loop. "Astonished? Awe-stricken?" 

By this point his Sensei had looked back over at him, eyes soft but expression stern like how he looked when he was starting a lesson. 

"Am I hitting the mark with any of those?" Sensei asked and Lee nodded. It was kind of scary how on the nose his Sensei was. How did he know what it felt like when, to the extent of Lee's knowledge, his Sensei didn't have a Quirk like him? It was one of the reasons they connected so well.

"It's as I thought," Sensei said ominously. He humphed as he got up from a knee, offering Lee a hand up as well. Lee took it and was brought to his feet easily.

"What do you mean, Sensei? Are you not excited that I finally found my Quirk?" He asked, and his Sensei only shook his head. Lee didn't understand why. "This could mean my dream of being a hero is-"

"Isn't any more or less attainable than what it was before, Lee," Sensei interrupted, his voice drowned out anything Lee had to say. "This doesn't change anything because what you feel isn't a Quirk."

It took Lee a couple of moments to fully register what he'd just heard. He blinked a couple times, mind spinning in a confusing mess. He.. how could Guy-Sensei just say something like that? Lee knew what he felt wasn't like anything he felt before. It was a Quirk; it had to be a Quirk.

"Let's go inside," Guy-sensei said, turning and proceeding to do just as he said. "You no doubt have questions, and you did best me in this race. It's only fair you receive your reward before the day is over."

Thoughts tumultuous, Lee followed his Sensei inside, not exactly feeling like he'd won anything.

It was with a subdued air the teacher and student settled across from each other. They wore matching dark green gi and black belts around their waist. 

Inside the dojo was simple yet nice. The floor was made up of light brown wood that gleamed under the lights and ran throughout the house all the way down the halls into their rooms. 

Ornamental weapons and a few pictures decorated the white walls and potted plants rested in the corners or by the windows where they could get sunlight. To the right was a hallway leading into the bedrooms, the left led to the field outside. 

A painting of a white tiger and a grey elephant rested on opposing walls of the dojo, one fierce and ferocious, the other stalwart and indomitable. They were the two animals Guy-sensei felt represented his fighting style the most, and so he had them painted on the walls. Between the two animals and in the middle of the main area of the dojo was the Mat.

It was a big built-in khaki-colored tatami mat that served as the practice area and classroom. It wasn't as hard as the wood but not as soft as other padded mats Lee had felt. It was at least soft enough to fall asleep on after passing out on it. 

Sensei and student sat across from each other on their knees, hands resting on their thighs. 

"Alright, Lee," Guy-sensei began and Lee paid rapt attention, "What have I told you about your spirit, Lee? Your chakra? Explain it to me in your own words."

Lee took a moment and thought back to his previous lessons with Guy-Sensei. "Spirit is the fuel that drives the body," He said confidently. "It runs throughout your body thanks to invisible Chakra pathways that lead to eight different Gates. It grows through meditation and the breathing techniques you have me cool down with. This is, of course, all meta-physical. Chakra has no real impact on the physical body."

Guy nodded looking serious. He was in lecture mode now. "Good job, Lee, but you're incorrect that it doesn't impact the physical body."

Lee didn't understand. He thought it was all metaphysical. The spiritual side wasn't meant to interact with the physical. Chakra and the Eight Gates were something he imagined to help him meditate.

His confusion must've been palpable because Sensei started to explain more.

"It is of no surprise to me that you've come to that conclusion because I haven't told you the whole truth," Guy revealed to Lee's surprise. "Chakra is real, but unlike a Quirk, to use it, you must earn it. That power you felt earlier? The fire and rush of energy? That was you reaching for your Chakra." Guy told him.

Lee's eyes went wide with shock. His heart knocked against his ribs. Was sensei really saying what he thought? Did this mean…

"So, it's powerful?" Lee asked, growing eager. "How do I earn it Sensei? Use it? What must I do?"

"The only way to utilize the Chakra in our bodies is to learn the Eight Gates Technique. It-"

"Then teach me, Sensei please!" Lee interrupted. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to become a Hero. I can do it, I know I can. Give me the chance!"

"Lee!" Sensei rarely raised his voice, but when he did it boomed like hitting one of those big marching band drums. Lee swallowed thickly and tried his best to calm down. He knew it wasn't respectful to interrupt, but just thinking about it made him antsy. He didn't care what warnings sensei had to give about it because they didn't matter. He was going to become a hero no matter what it took. 

"Patience. let me explain because this is important," He said and Lee nodded. "The Eights Gates isn't something to be taken lightly. You've just turned 14, so your body should be prepared to undergo the training process, but it isn't easy. I will go into more detail later, but the amount of work to utilize the Eight Gates effectively is greater than anything you've dealt with so far, and," Sensei paused here, and his face sort of grimaced. "The price of using it is too high for some to pay." 

"I'll pay it, sensei, I will."

"Lee," Sensei's expression softened. "You don't know what you're signing up for. Allow me to explain-"

"I don't care!" 

Guy-sensei stopped short. Lee felt his hands shake, his eyes burn with unshed tears, but he kept talking anyway. 

"I don't care, sensei, I just don't," Lee said. "Becoming a Pro-Hero is my dream - you know that. It doesn't matter what the cost of using the Eight Gates is. I won't back down from the challenge. Not now, not ever!"

Lee wiped his eyes and stared hard at the floor. It didn't matter what the obstacle was in his way. He would become a Pro Hero, and he'd save lives just like Guy-sensei did his. 

"Heh," Lee's head snapped up at hearing his sensei's chuckle. Guy-Sensei was smiling at him and Lee felt his heart jump in his chest. 

"You never fail to surprise me, Lee. I can see your determination from here; your flames of youth continue to burn bright. I also see there is no changing your mind, so I think a demonstration will serve as great motivation," Guy said. 

Guy-sensei indicated for Lee to back up and give him some space. Lee moved to the back edge of the Mat and sat down to watch. 

Lee looked on in wonder. He dared not take a breath as his sensei slid his feet apart into a Horse stance. He watched transfixed as Guy-Sensei tucked his arms to his sides and bent them at a 90-degree angle. Sensei closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. His stance was carved from stone, nothing moved besides his chest as it rose with each breath he took. 

In.

Out.

In.

Out. 

That's when Lee began to feel...something. As if the very air started to become alive and charged with some type of energy. The hair on his arms rose, and Lee's pulse quickened in response like he was experiencing a surge of adrenaline. The air around sensei started to vibrate and Lee felt the Mat tremble. He felt a sudden breeze pass through his hair when he knew the doors and windows were shut. 

Then, light blue wisps of some kind of energy or light begin to rise from Guy's body. His whole body began to be outlined with the blue energy. Was this Chakra? 

The very air around him looked to be picking up speed as his hair began to slowly rise in defiance of gravity. Lee couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Fourth gate: Gate of Pain, open!" Guy-Sensei yelled.

Sensei erupted in a shockwave of power.

The shout set off what felt like tornado force winds and Lee struggled to stay upright. His hair began whipping back and everything inside of the dojo from the lights to the weapons on the walls began to shake and rattle. Lee had to squint and shield his eyes to even keep sight of Guy-sensei.

His heart pounded in his ears and his knees shook from the power his sensei was giving off. There, wreathed in an green, ethereal cloak of Chakra, stood Guy-Sensei. His bowl cut straight up and his Gi flapped violently. His skin looked an angry red with veins bulging out from near his eyes that shined a bright white like the 12 o'clock sun. Lee couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was this all really happening?

"Though you are without a Quirk, Lee, that doesn't mean your dream is any less obtainable!" Guy yelled over the powerful wind. "Believe in yourself, Lee, and let your flames of your explode! You can be a Hero without a Quirk!"

Lee prostrated himself until his forehead met the mats. He clenched his eyes shut felt the power resonate within him just like he felt earlier. Sensei was right! It was time to work even harder than before! He would prove that he did not need a quirk to become a great Hero.

"Guy-Sensei!" He yelled over the powerful winds to his sensei. "Teach me!" He pleaded with all what he was. 

Lee heard the winds die down and heard his sensei walk over to him. He looked up to see his sensei's kind smile and bushy eyebrows just like so long ago. Guy-sensei pulled him to his feet and gave him his signature thumbs up and brilliant smile. 

"You got it, Lee," He said. "Now, c'mon, my beloved pupil," Guy prompted eyes ablaze with an unmatched fiery passion. "Wipe your eyes and let us begin! We've got a lot of work ahead of us if we want to make sure you're ready for the U.A. Entrance Exam."

Lee rubbed at his eyes and scrambled to his feet, his flames of youth burning brighter than ever before. 

"Yes, Guy-Sensei!"

"That's the spirit, Lee!"

.  
.  
.

(5 Years Later)

Principal Nezu sat at the head of the table surrounded by his fellow U.A. staff members and teachers. It was quiet besides the ticking clock and the low chatter between Present Mic and Midnight, as per usual. 

Nezu looked down at the stack of applications before him. Narrowed down from the hundreds upon thousands of applications submitted, Nezu had taken one in particular and made copies to...gather important data from his co-workers.

Normally, Quirk users from across Japan and other parts of the world submitted an application to U.A., the most prestigious Hero academy in the Eastern Hemisphere of not the world. Not many schools can boast the fact All Might graduated from their halls after all. 

But Nezu would say 'normal' got thrown out of the window thanks to this unassuming application he had before him. The name was written across the top:

Rock Lee.

"Principal Nezu," Vlad King, Pro Hero and wonderful teacher in Nezu's opinion spoke up in his deep, throaty voice. "You usually don't need this many hands to help you sort through the applications. What are we here for?"

"Yes," 13 chimed in from across Vlad, spacesuit giving nothing away. "We've sat here for approximately 7 minutes and 25 seconds and you have not said a word."

Vlad was always one to cut straight to the crux of matters. And 13 was always so precise in her observations, Nezu should've known better than to dilly-dally with them two on staff. So, he pushed his thoughts to the side and started the meeting. 

Nezu cleared his throat softly, grabbing everyone's attention he didn't already have. Midnight. Mic. 

"Ah, my apologies to you all," he said, "I was caught up in my own thoughts, haha. True, it is very unusual for me to require your assistance with the applications," he began. 

"Thank goodness for that," Hizashi muttered under his breath. 

Nezu continued on, used to Mic's comments at this point. "Truthfully, I don't require it much here as well, but I thought it most prudent for you all to get the chance to see one of the students who may be attending in the coming year," he said. 

They shifted in anticipation as Nezu gathered the application copies. He took one off the stack and passed the rest to Thirteen on his right.

"Could you take one and pass it down, Thirteen, please?" He asked her.

Wordlessly she took the stack and did as he requested and took one then passed the stack to Cementoss next to her. As they were going around he decided to keep explaining. 

"We are entering unprecedented times. Going around is U.A.'s first Quirkless applicant in quite some time. Look through it thoroughly, please," he tried to add on at the end, but was drowned out in the exclamations of astonishment and disbelief from the staff. 

To his right and moving down, Thirteen was peering at the application close, helmet nearly pressing against the paper. Next to her was Cementoss whose stony expression was wide and Ectoplasm who was like Thirteen, staring at the application intently. Snipe at the end of the row looked skeptical. How interesting.

To his left Vlad had uncrossed his arms and was going through the application silently, Midnight and Present Mic were flipping through animatedly, pointing things out to each other that they noticed. Even the lethargic Aizawa straightened up and began to look through the application set in front of him. 

The initial shock wore off quickly and the outburst of noise was quickly settled as everyone dived into the applications. Nezu could only guess what they were thinking, and that was no good for anybody. He would give them a moment to gather their thoughts, as even he needed a moment after he read through the application. 

Fortunately, it did not take long until someone broke the silence.

Hizashi spoke up, "Well, it's not like he's applying for the Hero Course, right?" He asked with a slight chuckle as the application finally came to him. His smile lasted until he read the words in bright red at the top of the application 'For the Hero Course'. 

"How did I miss that?" he asked himself 

Snipe flipped the application over to the front page was planted on the desk. "With all due respect, Principal Nezu," Snipe began. "we can't let the kid apply for the Hero Course for his own health and safety."

That piqued his interest. "Care to elaborate?" He asked. 

"Because he has no quirk," Snipe immediately answered as if the answer was obvious. He looked at his gathered colleagues and said, "He cannot in good conscience be allowed to attend. Without a Quirk, he won't be able to keep up. He'll be putting himself in more danger than he needs to be."

"Whoa now, Snipe, you act like it's your decision. Plus, this is a school. They come here to learn how to handle stuff like that because we're supposed to teach 'em," the R-rated hero, Midnight interjected.

Snipe rolled his eyes, planted his chin in his hand. "And when he isn't at the level as all the other students are at cuz their Quirks help them, what next? He might as well be a police officer or a firefighter."

"You're suggesting we do what? Throw his application out to stop him from trying?" Midnight shook her head at the thought. "We're better than that. I say we give him a shot."

Snipe scoffed lightly as Midnight finished what she had to say. She glared at him until Vlad spoke up.

"I agree with you Midnight," Vlad added. "We cannot just imagine he didn't submit an application. His scores are sufficient. He's medically cleared to participate. We've no reason to not give him a shot."

"Besides the fact that he's Quirkless," Snipe shot back. He looked around the room. "We just gonna ignore it? Act like it isn't there?"

"We don't have to mention it in every breath like you," Midnight shot. 

Before Snipe could respond, another voice spoke up. "We cannot ignore the fact he does not have a Quirk. The kind of danger he would be in would be greater than the average Quirkes student's," Cementoss explained to the table. 

The soft-spoken Thirteen chose that moment to speak up. "Every Quirk gives the user some sort of enhanced resilience, stamina, strength, or speed. He'd be severely behind the others and, as a Hero, one cannot afford to be," she reasoned.

Present Mic skimmed through the application until he got to the page he was looking for. The National Quirk Assessment Test scores. He let out a low whistle at what he saw. "But are you seeing these scores? He doesn't have a Quirk and he's still middle-upper percentile of the pack."

"It is impressive regardless of if he had a Quirk or not," Ectoplasm said.

Present Mic nodded his head with a wide smile on his face. "That's what I'm saying! He wouldn't be behind anybody. If anything, these scores show that he can and will perform to the expected levels."

Snipe scoffed and shook his head. "You and I both know that assessment does not accurately do anything. It's only the government-mandated test that gives everyone a 'fair' chance at getting into the school they want to. You all know the benchmark standards are ridiculous. Throwing a baseball? Running laps? If we cared, we wouldn't have our own Entrance Exam," he argued right back. 

"That is true," Ectoplasm said and Snipe spun around his chair with his arms up as if to say 'thank you'. "While his scores are impressive, they only tell us what they're supposed to and that is not the complete story. Furthermore, what of the backlash the school would face in the wake of accepting a Quirkless student?" he asked and the table descended into an uncomfortable silence as they all thought of what Ectoplasm pointed out. 

The general notion amongst the table? It wouldn't be good.

"So what?" Midnight said. "We've enough clout from having The Symbol of Peace graduate from here that we're set for years. One student isn't going to ruin U.A.'s legacy."

"And what if he gets hurt during a training exercise?" Cementoss asked. "Or worse, killed? We'd have the finger pointed back at us. 

"Easy, he doesn't die. Boom problem solved," Midnight said.

"Uhh, a problem not solved because what do we say to a kid after he accidentally maims his classmate?" Snipe asked her. "What then? We can't restrict the students with Quirks just because one of their classmates isn't fit to become a Hero."

"There is no mold that dictates what a Hero can or cannot be," Vlad said. "It will require us to monitor closer than normal to prevent any occurrences such as those, but I believe the likelihood of that happening is low under our watch."

"And what about afterward?" Thirteen asked. "Accidents happen, and him being quirkless makes the likelihood of an accident happening that much more possible and the results that much more dangerous. I don't wish for something like that to happen to him nor the backlash negatively impact the school's reputation."

Mic nudged his lazy friend with his elbow. "What about you, eh, Aizawa? You've been quiet even though you teach class 1-A," Mic said to his friend. 

Everyone turned their attention to the scruffy man. If Aizawa felt the eyes on him, he didn't show it. Instead, he yawned once and stretched, unknowingly increasing the sense of anticipation in the room. 

Finally, he answered in his slow, tired voice, "Let him try."

"What?!" Snipe snapped from across the table

"Yes!" Midnight cheered from beside Aizawa.

"You can't be serious, Eraserhead?" Snipe further questioned. 

"Oh, he's definitely serious!" Midnight answered for him.

"But he has no quirk!" Snipe tried to argue.

"So?" Aizawa responded back promptly. 

"So, he is at risk! The media will eat us and him for breakfast if they catch wind of us letting the first kid without a quirk into U.A. if he gets hurt in any serious way, that's reflecting badly on us for letting him in, and -," he stopped suddenly, causing everyone to look at him in confusion.

"And what, Snipe?" 

"And what if the students don't treat him right," He said, eyes roaming across everyone's face. "He's going to be the odd man out, the Quirkless amongst a bunch of Quirked students. Most of these students went to majority Quirk schools, they don't know anything about having classmates without them."

"Better they learn now than later," Aizawa said simply. 

"Come on!" Snipe was clearly frustrated now. "We can't let him-"

"We aren't 'letting' him do anything," Aizawa responded back calmly. "If he happens to make it past the entrance exam, it would be off his own merit and skill. Let the media run their mouths. We will still continue to do our jobs in preparing the next generation of heroes as best we can. If I catch one of my students or any student treating him differently because he's Quirkless then I'll discipline them. Simple as that," he explained tiredly. 

With that, Aizawa slumped back down in his seat and closed his eyes to take a nap.

Nezu took the opportunity to speak. "I understand that this isn't a discussion that stops here in this room and that's fine. This is why I showed you the application in the first place so you'd be ready should he make it in, as Aizawa put it. You are correct Snipe in that we do have the Entrance Exam for a reason, and should he fail, he fails. But if he succeeds, then we will admit him into the Hero Course and we all will help him as well as the others grow into great heroes."

They were teachers. Educators. It was their job to see the potential where no one else saw it. It was their job to help children realize their dreams no matter how ludicrous they may seem. It was their duty to prepare them to face the horrors they will encounter and come out on top. This child was different, and different didn't have an easy time being. Nezu could only imagine how it was growing up for him, and yet Lee still achieved. He'd gone beyond what some with quirks have and get good enough grades in every subject. 

Nezu knew the odds were stacked against the child, but his instincts told him something different. They told him something was changing. He could feel it. Maybe the teen was to be the catalyst, maybe not. Nezu didn't know which to hope for, but, as he looked at the picture of the smiling boy with thick eyebrows and a bowl cut who wanted to be a hero, Nezu realized that maybe it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Nezu had the chance to help a child achieve their dream. 

Lee was up against the world and impossible odds, but Nezu didn't think anything was impossible. 

Not with enough hard work, at least.  
.  
.  
.

A/N:  
Edited, and I'm actually happy with it. This is already up on Fanfiction, and I wanted to put it up here too. Expect chapters up here every two weeks because I'm in the midst of editing and writing new ones on FF. Author name is the same. If you want more, head on over there. 16 chapters of goodness so far. If you're feeling like supporting me further, you can head over to my Pat reon : tea_jay21. You'll get early previews/early looks at the new chapters a week in advance. Plus, I write short stories and do other cool stuff if you're interested. Till next time!


	2. Chapter 2: Entrance Exam pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee begins the Entrance Exam and makes a new friend!

Chapter 2: Entrance Exam

(Edited 11/11/2020)

(Edited 12/16/2020)

.

.

.

He'd prove that he belonged here just like everybody else.

Rock Lee had been chasing one dream for the majority of his 16 years, and today he was finally, finally, taking the first major step towards his dream of becoming a Pro Hero. Today was the U.A. Entrance Exam for those who wanted to attend the Hero Course in the upcoming semester - people like himself. Well, not necessarily like him but that didn't matter today. He couldn't wait to get started, but he'd had no other choice but to wait since he got here early.

Lee had gotten to U.A. early because, as Guy-sensei said, the early bird catches the worm, and he'd catch a thousand worms if it meant he'd get the chance to become a Pro. So, he was here outside of the tall, blue barred U.A. Gates. The blue metal bars gleamed under the bright morning sun as the gates were spread open wide, welcoming all potential examines inside - welcoming him inside. But he hadn't entered - not yet.

He'd not admit it to anyone, but he was more than a little nervous and anxious. It mixed with the excitement to create a prickly mess of his emotions, and he knew he needed to do something to take his mind off it, so he checked himself over to make sure he had everything.

Lee was dressed proudly in his dojo's forest green gi and his usual black trainers on his feet. His hands and wrists were wrapped in thick white hand-wraps up to the middle of his forearms, and he felt the lighter-than-usual weights around his ankles. Guy-sensei had let him cut the weight around his ankles by half to 200 pounds per leg, which he wouldn't have done if today wasn't so important.

"Uhm, hello?" A silvery, feminine voice called.

Lee looked to his left to see who was trying to get his attention and was struck speechless by who he saw.

His first thought was of the color pink. Not because it was his third favorite color after green and orange, but because the girl with the horns sticking out of her head was pink. Her skin was as pink as her hair, which was as pink as her outfit - a pink shirt and lighter pink leggings. The only difference was her black shoes and her black and yellow eyes. And no, he didn't mean that she had an injury, but that her eyeballs were black with yellow irises that shined like gold. It was amazing.

She was so cool.

"Are we allowed to go in yet?" She asked. She looked confused and hesitant; her eyes kept going from him to the gates. He pushed his amazement to the back of his mind and focused on the right now.

"Oh, yes," he said and smiled shakily. "You can go in. It's still early, so I'm just standing...here. Standing."

Saying it out loud made him feel silly and even more embarrassed.

Now, the girl probably thought he was weird for standing outside like this when he could've gone in. But, to his amazement, the girl didn't call him weird or walk away. She giggled like wind chimes, and Lee felt a little sense of accomplishment fill him. He didn't know how he did it, but he made someone laugh without even trying. He was better at this 'socializing' than he thought.

The girl's giggles died down, and she looked more...comfortable. Less hesitant and nervous like he felt.

"Well, I'm going to go in," she said. She took a deep breath, like she was preparing for something, looked up at the gates, and then took a step back next to him. Now, one became two standing outside the gates.

Lee couldn't blame her, really, but didn't know what to say either. They stood next to each other in silence for a few moments. If she wasn't right here standing on the sidewalk with him, he'd think she wasn't there for as quiet as she was. Maybe her confidence extended only as far as one question. It wasn't like he was any better. If he didn't feel like an idiot before, he felt like one after the next two people walked through the gates and into the school.

Okay, he had to do something about this. He wouldn't stand out here forever.

"So,"

"Okay,"

They both stopped at hearing the other try to speak, and Lee didn't know what about the situation was funny, but he couldn't help but crack a smile and laugh a little. The pink girl did the same, and it was like whatever awkward spell was broken.

Lee remembered his manners. "I'm Rock Lee. And you are?"

Her smirk shifted into a wide, toothy smile and she held her hand out to shake. "The name is Mina Ashido, but you can call me Mina," she introduced cheerfully.

Her cheer proved to be infectious, and Lee felt himself feeling more comfortable with her. "Nice to meet you, Mina. You can call me Lee," he said. He dithered before deciding to be bold. "Are you, uh, are you nervous about the exam as well?"

The question slipped out cautiously as he could make it. He didn't want to assume, but by how Mina was acting hesitant (like him) he'd guess she was nervous about today (like him). He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ask someone that, but he didn't know what else to say. Maybe he wasn't so good at the 'socializing' thing as he thought.

"I, uh, yeah. Only a little," Mina answered, and every part of him felt relieved. "Are you?"

Lee nodded and looked back towards the gates. "Yeah, I am," he admitted truthfully, and it felt good being honest about it with someone who seemed to understand. "It's just - I spent so long preparing for today. Now that it's finally here, it's a little…"

"Daunting?"

"Mhm. Daunting."

This was U.A. The top hero school in Japan who toted graduates like All Might, Present Mic, Mirko, and so many other top heroes. He would be one of possibly hundreds of people taking the exams today, basically competing against them for a spot in the Hero

course. It was crazy when he thought about it like that. This was bigger than any competition he'd been in before for more than one reason.

"It's like," Lee suddenly spoke up. "My dreams are coming true, but I'm worried that I'll not have what it takes to make them come true."

He didn't know why he said that, again, but he did. He wasn't sure what it was, maybe he was desperate to get it off his chest, but Lee felt comfortable talking to someone who was just as nervous as he was.

"Yeah, I get you," she said to his shock. He thought he'd been talking gibberish. "I trained harder than I ever had for today, just working hard y'know? But it's like this little doubt that makes me wonder if what I did was enough."

Lee nodded silently in support of that, feeling moved speechless by her admission. He hadn't expected that and something about it made him respect Mina a lot more.

"You shouldn't listen to unreasonable doubts in your head," a flat as a sheet of paper voice spoke up from behind the two of them.

The duo turned to see a tall, slim older man with messy shoulder-length dark hair and a five o'clock shadow. His face was angular and his eyes looked bloodshot. Combined with the grey baggy clothes, long scarf, and steaming cup of something in his hand, he looked like he just rolled out of bed.

"What do you mean by that?" Lee asked him. Who was this man and why was he talking to them should've been the questions he asked because - stranger danger, but perhaps he was a staff member? Or here for the test too?

The tired-looking man took a big gulp from the steaming cup of what smelled like coffee.

"I mean, don't listen to your self-doubt. Either you make it in, or you don't. No use in wasting your time thinking about it standing outside," the man told them with all the bluntness of a hammer.

The man swirled his cup of coffee and started walking into the school not waiting, or possibly caring, for their response. "I knew I shouldn't have put this much creamer," he muttered as he passed them.

Speechless, Mina and Lee had nothing to say to him until he had already disappeared inside the school.

"Did he just…" Mina started to say then stopped, her head cocked to the side like a confused puppy. "I feel like he just called us stupid."

Lee didn't say anything, too busy thinking about the man's direct verbiage. Maybe calling them idiots was a little rude, but he did have a point about not listening to the self-doubt. Lee remembered Guy-sensei saying something similar about not letting his internal doubt douse his inner youthful fire, and his sensei was rarely wrong. But to hear it from some random, tired-looking man was shocking in a way Lee needed it to be.

He couldn't let his doubts get in the way of what he was trying to accomplish today. No sir! Guy-sensei would be ashamed of him, and Lee couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in himself too. His flames of youth had never burned brighter than today. Like the man said, either he made it or he didn't. There was no use thinking about it.

"He's right!" Lee said.

"That we're dumb?" Mina looked startled, and Lee was quick to correct himself.

"Wait, no, not that. Just, he was right in saying there isn't a point to standing here being too scared to go in," Lee offered as an explanation.

Mina crossed her arms and humphed. "I'm not scared just... nervous. Yeah, I can go in whenever I feel like, like right now. Come on, Lee," she said and grabbed his wrist. "We'll show him we're not idiots."

Lee was too shocked by her grabbing his wrist to resist being pulled through the gates and into the school. It barely registered in comparison to the soft, pink hand wrapped around his wrist. Nobody had ever done this to him before, and he didn't know what to do, so he went along with it as they went to the waiting area with the other examiners.

Since it was still early, the two of them didn't have much of anything else to do but talk. So, he got to know her better. He quickly learned that once Mina started talking, she could go on for a long time. He spent more time listening than anything else, But that was fine with him. This was one of the first people he'd met that was willing to talk to him.

He learned a lot too. For example, Mina loved dancing, fashion, shopping, natto, okra, and romantic movies. She disliked bullying, and her dream was to become a hero she and her grandmother could be proud of.

Lee couldn't help but think how youthful her dream was. It was, in a way, like his own dream. Their youthful goals connected them together as Guy-sensei might've said if he were here. He told her about the dojo and talked about his sensei, and she actually looked interested.

Eventually, though, the time had come for the Entrance Exam to begin.

There were a ton of them, so many heads that Lee didn't even try to count them all. He stuck close to Mina as they were directed into a large auditorium with a giant screen above the stage in front showing the U.A. logo. As they entered, people were handing out blank white cards to each of them and told not to lose them, which was odd, but Lee didn't question it and took the card. He and Mina sat next to each other in the middle of the auditorium and waited as everyone else found their seats.

"So, what do you think they are going to have us do?" Mina asked him excitedly, basically bouncing in her seat. "Do you think we're going to have to fight some monsters or a teacher! Oh, oh, oh," she stuttered and her eyes got wide, "or giant killer robots?!"

Before Lee could answer, a new, unfamiliar voice interjected and asked curiously, "You think they're going to have us fighting giant robots?"

Lee and Mina paused and looked to their right and were greeted by a boy. Lee reasoned he was around their age, but he was taller with wide shoulders. He had grey hair that was swept forward and covered most of his face and right eye with his mouth covered by a facemask.

Mina wasted naught a second to answer his question. "I mean, it is just a guess. This is the practical exam, so they would have us doing something that was a little bit more fighty-fighty and kicky-kicky, right?" She asked the new kid and added a shrug.

"That makes excellent sense, Mina! Yosh, your deduction skills are top-notch!" Lee praised and she preened. He wasn't sure himself about the event himself, but what Mina said made sense.

"I agree, that does make sense," the new guy said. "Sorry, I have yet to introduce myself. I am Mezo Shoji."

He extended his hand out to shake, but his arms were attached to each other. No, that was wrong. It was as if he had two extra limbs attached to his original arms, like webbed tentacles. The tentacles did not have hands like his arms but instead ended in rounded nubs. Lee reasoned that it had something to do with his Quirk.

"That's so cool!" Mina was awestruck as she took in the extra limbs. "You have like a bunch of arms!"

"Is that your quirk, Shoji?" Lee couldn't help but ask, equally as starstruck as Mina. Despite not having one of his own, Quirks would never fail to amaze him.

Shoji nodded his head. Then, to both Lee's and Mina's surprise, a mouth grew from one of the tentacles, teeth and all, and began to speak. "Yes, it is my Quirk, Dupli-Arms. It allows me to replicate parts of my body - like my mouth for example," he said.

"Whoaa," both Lee and Mina said at the same time.

"What about you two?" Shoji asked them, "What are your names?"

His questions broke them out of their amazement. Mina spoke up first, "Hi, I'm Mina Ashido, but you can call me Mina. It is nice to meet you, Shoji," she greeted.

"And I am Rock Lee, but please call me Lee," Lee followed up. "It is also a pleasure to meet you!"

Shoji gave them both a nod. "It is also a pleasure to meet the both of you, Mina and Lee," He spoke from his mouth-tentacle. Tentacle-mouth? Lee wasn't sure. "What are your quirks, if you do not mind me asking?"

Mina's eyes lit up. "Oooh, me first. My Quirk is Acid," she held out her hands for Shoji and Lee to see. She noticed him and held her hands for both of them to see. "I can secrete acid from these bad boys right here," she clenched her fists, and both of them leaned away quickly, not wanting to be too close to any kind of acid.

Mina giggled at their reactions and put her hands down. "I'm not going to demonstrate it, you big babies," she turned her attention to Lee, "You're turn, Lee."

The situation he was in struck Lee like a kick from Guy-sensei. He was going to have to explain to them his Quirk? Maybe he didn't have to? Sensei had told him lying was wrong, but if he didn't answer, then it wasn't exactly lying, right? Lee worried because he knew what happened when he told people the truth that he was Quirkless.

(Flashback)

He was back in middle school. It was the first year and first day at a new school closer to where he now lived with Guy-sensei. It was his chance to start new away from where he came from.

The teacher had them all come to the front to introduce themselves and their dream to the class. One by one, students went up and introduced themselves, and most had the same aspirations.

To become heroes.

It went by fast. Faster than Lee would've wanted. His dread hadn't gone away like he wished it would. If anything, it got worse. Eventually, it was his turn to introduce himself, and he was terrified. His insides felt like curdled milk that had been left out in the sun for too long, but he knew he'd have to go up there and introduce himself. Maybe she said the wrong name, and he still had time to get himself together.

She repeated his name, and Lee felt no different. Slowly, he rose from his seat and began what felt like a death march to the front of the class. He walked as slow as he possibly could, but he couldn't stave off the inevitable.

Eventually, he made it to the front of the class where everyone waited for his introduction. Faces, so many faces, leaned forward in anticipation to hear what the new kid had to say. Excited and eager for something. He wanted to throw up. Maybe if he did, he'd be excused.

Slowly but steadily, Lee gathered whatever scraps of courage and confidence he could find and tried to settle his heart.

Lee felt a soft hand on his shoulder and he jolted. He snapped back to see who it was, and it was the teacher smiling kindly down at him.

"It is okay to be nervous or scared," she said soothingly. "Just breathe and try your best, alright? We're all friends here."

He took a deep breath, just like she said. And another after that. Friends? Could these people be his friends? He could hear the murmurs begin.

"He's a scaredy-cat," he heard.

"I wish he'd just hurry up."

"Maybe he can't speak."

"You think he's, y'know, slow?"

"Maybe he doesn't have a dream?"

A dream. He had a dream. To be a hero. At that moment, his terror slipped away as he realized something, how could he become a hero if he was too afraid to even say so? Too afraid of how people would react? Heroes were fearless and brave, and if he wanted to be a hero he had to be those things as well!

Emboldened, Lee straightened up and poked out his chest, just like he'd seen All-Might do, and smiled wide, just like he'd seen Guy-sensei do, and was brave. 

"I am Rock Lee, and I am going to be the first Quirkless Hero in the world!" He proclaimed to the class as confident as he could.

At first, there was silence, and Lee felt great. He'd done it!

Then, the class erupted in uproarious laughter. Everybody from the front to the back was either giggling or full-blown laughing. Lee's smile cracked and fell from his face.

The teacher moved forward and tried to get the class to settle down.

They-they were laughing at him; the whole class was laughing again. Guy-sensei said to hope it'd be different, but it wasn't. It was the exact same thing as before. The laughing kids barely listened to the teacher's attempts to get them to calm down.

His chest burned with red-hot anger, and he felt tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. He tried to stop them, wipe them away before anyone could see, but it didn't work. He sniffled and scowled down at the classroom floor as his tears began to fall. He clenched his fists at his side until they shook and his nails bit into his palms.

They didn't believe him; they never did. Nobody but Guy-sensei believed he could make his dream come true.

Lee sniffled again and wiped at his eyes as the laughter continued despite the teacher's continuous attempts to get it to stop. His anger boiled over until he couldn't take it anymore.

"You all watch! I'm going to be a wonderful Hero just like All Might Endeavor and Mirko and, and - just you wait! I'm going to become the best hero in the world without a Quirk!" He yelled through his tears.

He didn't wait to see how they reacted to his words as he dashed out of the classroom. He wasn't sure if he heard the teacher call for him or not, but he wouldn't have stopped anyway. He had to get away from all the laughing. He'd become a hero, and he'd work hard for it! Guy-sensei believed in him, and he believed in himself! That's all that should matter.

Right?

He made it to the bathroom and dashed in. He threw open the door and slammed it shut behind him and locked it. He tried to calm himself down using the breathing technique Guy-sensei showed him, but a sob came through instead. Then, it was like the floodgates were opened and he was powerless to stop them.

Lee slowly slid to the floor, back against the door, and began to cry heavily. Why him? They always laughed at him and his dream.

They always, always, laughed.

(Flashback end)

"Soooo, you gonna leave us hanging here or what, Lee?" Mina's voice snapped him out of his head.

Lee smiled weakly at her and found himself feeling a grim sort of confidence. The kind where you knew something bad was probably about to happen, but couldn't do anything but face it. He had to face this, their reactions to hearing he was Quirkless. Maybe...maybe it wouldn't be like all the other times.

"Um, actually, I -," he began but was ultimately cut off.

"GOOD MORNING EXAMINEES!" An absolutely booming voice roared to the crowd. The lights in the auditorium flickered like a light show as somebody rose up from below the stage. There was even a little smoke.

Once the person was all the way up, the lights returned to normal, and everyone in the auditorium could see who it was.

On the stage stood a tall man with spiky, swept-back blonde hair that kind of looked like the backend of a bird. He wore a studded leather jacket and pants that suspiciously looked like leather too. He wore a pair of large sunglasses and had headphones around his neck. Everyone in the auditorium gasped in surprise and excited chatter. They all knew who that was!

"It's Present Mic," Lee said in amazement as he leaned forward in his seat, previous trepidation forgotten in the face of such a well-known hero and stylish Pro-Hero.

"Whoa," Mina said as she leaned forward as well. "He's so fashionable!" she squealed out with stars in her eyes.

Shoji side-eyed his two star-struck peers and shrugged his shoulders. He was more of a Kamui Woods fan himself if he was being honest. Now, if he was up there? All bets were off.

"Let's get that blood pumping!" He roared into the microphone. He dipped the microphone like it was a dancer and pointed a finger to the crowd, "Everybody say HEY!"

As amazed as they were, it was still an auditorium filled with teenagers. So, no one was willing to be the one to make what they thought would be a fool of themselves. A moment passed, and only one student responded back.

"HEY!" Lee cheered back from his seat and raised his fist in excitement. The man's energy was youthful! How could he not reciprocate it?

"Alright! That's what I like to hear! I'll be quick and present you with a rundown of the Entrance Exam. Are you guys READY?!"

"YOSH!" Three guesses as to who that was and the first two don't count.

"I love it! Aww yeah! Let's get down to business," he said, and the lights dimmed again. The screen shifted from the U.A. logo to a picture of robots?

"Welcome applicants to the U.A. Entrance Exam! Listen closely because I'm only explaining it once. The Exam will consist of a 15 minute mock battle in one of our battle centers. These four robots that you see on the screen represent our scoring system. They are 0, 1, 2, and 3 point robots respectively," He explained to them. "Your goal is to take down or immobilize as many as you can to earn enough points before time runs out. Of course, attacking other examinees and performing any other unheroic acts is prohibited!"

"What's the point of the zero pointer? Why have it when it is worth no points?" A voice asked. Lee ignored his first instinct to look for the person who asked the question, though, he had to admit he was thinking along the same lines.

Present Mic's smile grew larger. With a flourish of his hand, he pointed in the direction of the person who asked the question.

"That is a great question that I have an answer for!" He lowered his hand and on the screen behind him, the zero-point robot took over completely. "The zero pointer is to act as a sort of obstacle; an unknown type of enemy that will challenge you unlike the 1, 2, and 3 pointers would. It is not unbeatable, far from it, but it's up to you to decide what to do when confronted by it, my young padawans," he said, trying to sound mysterious.

Lee didn't know what to make of that last part. What did the zero pointer mean for the exam? He brushed the thought of it aside. Like Present Mic had said, there was no incentive to defeat it, so Lee would avoid it and focus on the robots worth actual points.

"I got that reference!" A voice said.

"Hey! Star Wars fans unite! How bout that last movie? Wait, I'm getting off-topic. Are there any more questions? No? Yes? Doesn't matter!" He barked out a laugh. "My time with you all is up anyway! Best of luck to you all and remember to try your best and go plus…," he tapered off at the end, setting it up for the crowd.

"ULTRA!" the auditorium full of potential heroes boomed in response.

Hizashi rolled his eyes underneath his glasses. Oh, so they'd go for All Might's phrase but not his. Tch, teenagers.

Lee felt something vibrating inside of his gi. He reached in and pulled out the blank card he was handed in the beginning. The card vibrated like a phone until the letter G appeared on the front.

He looked over to Mina and Shoji who were looking at their cards as well. He connected the dots easily then.

"What does your guys' say?" He asked the two of them.

Shoji flipped his card to him and Mina. It read 'C.' "I have gotten arena 'C' I believe. What about you, Mina-san?" His one eye focused on the pink girl as she flipped her card to show both of them.

"I got 'G'," Mina answered.

They both then turned to Lee.

"Where are you going, Lee?" Shoji asked him.

Lee flipped his card to show them the 'G', and Mina squealed in excitement.

"Yay! We're in the same arena!" She cheered. "That means we can be on teams and help each other out," she realized.

Lee winced a little at that. He wasn't sure that was against the rules or not, but it wasn't something he wanted to do.

His thoughts must have shown on his face because Mina deflated like a balloon with a tear. Her smile fell faster than a bag of bricks, and Lee's heart twisted in his chest. No, he didn't mean to-

"Oh, you don't want to work together, I get it." She said, her previous excitement gone with the wind. "That's fine, I guess. I shouldn't have just assumed like that."

Mina turned back forward without a word and stared straight forward. The entire shift in her demeanor left Lee flat-footed and unsure. How did he tell her that, yes, he did not want to work with her, but he had a good reason in his mind.

Lee needed to prove that he could do this by himself, on his own power. He did not expect such an issue to arise.

Present Mic smiled wide once more before stepping down, and from there, the auditorium began to disperse. The trio got up and began to leave with the sea of examinees towards their designated battle arenas.

Shoji turned to the two of them. "I will hopefully be seeing you all when school starts for I have no intention to fail after making it so far," he spoke to them from one of his duplicated mouths. "Best of luck to both of you, Mina," a nod, "Lee," another nod. With that said, Shoji headed towards his arena and melded into the sea of bodies.

That left Lee with Mina in an awkward sort of silence. Maybe it was only awkward for him because Mina seemed to have no issue with the quiet between the two of them as they walked to their testing arena.

He wondered what she was thinking. Did it have to do with him and what he said? Did he hurt her feelings? But what did he do wrong? Guy-sensei had not prepared him for such social challenges on the first day of meeting someone.

Eventually, they got to the entrance of the testing grounds. It looked like a makeshift city with tall buildings and streets. Lee was one of the ones in front with Mina still quiet next to him.

He looked at her as she thought in silence. It was getting more than unbearable, and they were about to begin the Exam. He did not want to go forward without having been honest with her. Sensei always said honesty was the best policy and that the truth set you free.

"Look," he began, and Mina eyed him from the corner of her own. "I wish to take the Exam by myself not because I think bad of you, Mina, but because I wish to prove to myself that I have what it takes."

There was a beat of silence before she spoke up.

"Hmph," she huffed, but a small smile grew on her face. "I can understand that. I just assumed something, but it doesn't matter because you're right! Heh, don't think you're the only one here with something to prove. I bet I'll destroy way more of those dumb robots than even you," She challenged, full of bravado and brimming with confidence.

Lee smiled wide, feeling some excitement bubbling up in his gut. "Then let us have a friendly competition. Most robots defeated wins. I wish you the best of luck, Mina."

Mina scoffed and flexed her arm dramatically, small pink biceps bulging. "You see these puppies? You think I need luck with these?"

They shared a laugh before quieting down and facing forward. The Exam was bound to start any moment now, and Lee needed to focus - the same as Mina.

He would get in there and destroy as many robots as possible. He could do it - no, he would do it. Lee had been preparing for today for years. He wouldn't fail; he couldn't afford to.

Without a countdown or warning, a loud "GO!" was blasted out of the speakers, and everyone scrambled into the battle arena. The U.A. Entrance Exam had officially begun.

.

.

.

A/N

Edited some of the imagery and conversations to make their voices more distinct. Plus, I added a 'Yosh' or two. This fic really was 'Yosh' deficient. Shout out to the reviewer for bringing that to my attention. I honestly forgot how much Lee actually said it. Also, no honorifics. Big hassle, so imagine this was English dubbed.


	3. Chapter 3: Entrance Exam pt 2

Chapter 3: Entrance Exam Pt. 2

.  
.  
.

"YOSH!" Lee yelled in exertion and exuberance as his fist punched through yet another soulless machine bent on stopping him from accomplishing his dream!

...A little dramatic, sure, but it made things a little more exciting in a way. He pulled his fist from the army green chassis of the now-dead machine and shook it out. His fists were growing a little numb from punching through metal over and over, but if he could not continue punching through these machines, he'd punch through a hundred trees. And if he could not do that, then he'd make it a thousand! 

Jogging forward, Lee heard the familiar mechanical clanking coming from around the corner and saw yet a group of green machines lumbering together. Their red optics focused on him and made a loud gong-like noise. 

Lee slid into the opening stance of the Strong Fist seamlessly, a smirk on his face. These would be easy points.

They rushed forward on thick, blocky legs with surprising speed - for robots. The lead one cocked back its large, green arm to swing and down its target. The thick-eyebrowed one had taken out many of its brethren, and it would be the one to avenge them! It swung at the target, all data pointing towards direct contact, and hit...nothing.

Oh...oh, no.

Its optical programming tried its best to relocate the target as quickly as possible, but only registered a dark, foot-shaped object rocketing towards its head. Odds of dodging, zero percent. Bracing for imp-

Lee grunted as he donkey-kicked straight through the head of another robot. He moved, used the sparking, headless robot carcass as a spring to get behind the other two. Swift they might've been, he noted from the previous ones he destroyed their three-dimensional movement left much to be desired.

The remaining two turned too slow. Lee kicked the inside leg joint of one, crippling it further, and let the other one's attack sail over his shoulder. He grabbed the arm, broke it off at the elbow, and then jammed it into the other robots shining red optics. 

The two robots fell to the ground, their bodies making a noise akin to a computer shutting off. Lee wiped his hands and nodded to himself. Three points, only some more to go. He didn't know the exact number, having lost count near the beginning, but he felt he was doing well. 

"3 minutes left! 3 minutes left!" Present Mic's voice blared from the speaker system somewhere. 

That wasn't a lot of time left, and there were no robots in sight. This was not good. 

No, he thought fiercely to himself. He couldn't think like that. If he wasn't sure that meant he just had to keep going until there were no more robots in the arena! He had to go Plus Ultra, just like Present Mic said.

Lee took a settling breath and began moving forward, pushing all thoughts of fatigue to the back of his mind to be tossed out the metaphorical window. Guy-sensei wouldn't give up just because he was a little tired, so Lee would not either. No, he'd break through his limits to achieve his dream of getting into the U.A. Hero Course. 

Faster, he had to move faster. He had to keep moving, find more robots, and destroy them. Don't think about being tired. Heroes don't get tired. 

Keep moving. Find robots. Destroy them.

Move. Robots. Destroy.

Move. Robots. Destroy.

He heard the whirring he'd quickly come to associate with one of the robots and began to move towards it. It got louder and louder, and he a person began to yell out as well. Lee couldn't see what was going on, but it sounded like it was coming across the street. He cut across the street and hurdled a barrier. He rolled with the landing and popped up to see a group of four robots slowly cornering a single, muscular teen in a black tank-top and sweatpants with spiky brown hair and thick lips. 

The teen was breathing heavily, glistening with sweat, and his eyes were drooping along with his guard. The teen tried to reach for something along his waist, but, as if signaled, one of the robots swung at him, forcing the teen to move his hand and dodge. 

The teen rolled under the wide blow and countered with a haymaker of his own.

"Rah!" he yelled in exertion as he swung, but to Lee's surprise, the strong-looking blow barely dented the green machine.

The teen recoiled in shock, which left him open to an attack from the second robot, and it didn't squander the opportunity. Its thick, blocky limb swung and smacked the teen right in his flank, and the teen hit the ground with a grunt.

Lee was moving before his mind was even made up. In the seconds, Lee had gotten there ready to assist his fellow examinee. He slid up behind one of the robots, jumped, and extended his leg out. 

"Dynamic Entry!" 

Lee blasted through the robot like it was made of paper and not metal plating. He spun on the balls of his feet and went low after the other. His leg sweep crumpled the robot, and it fell out the ground. It was simple then to stomp on its head and destroy it. The last two finally turned to him, but they disregarded the teen Lee had come to rescue in the first place. 

"Don't forget about me!" The teen yelled and grabbed one of the robots around the waist. In an astounding show of strength, the teen suplexed the robot over his head and into the ground. The metal crunched and smushed like a soda can, and then it was two on one. The strong teen rushed the last one with a yell.

The last robot tried to backpedal, to retreat, but there was none. 

Lee decided to help the teen out, so he dashed behind the automaton and kicked it as hard as he could towards the charging teen. 

In a youthful display of strength, the teen clotheslined the robot, flipping it head over heels and scattering shards of metal like confetti. An elbow drop later, and that robot was well finished. 

The teen got up, panting harshly but smiling all the same.

He wiped some sweat off his brow and knocked some clinging pieces of metal from his elbow. "Heh, thanks, guy. Those were some sweet moves!" the teen said. "you really saved my crust."

The teen stuck his hand out for Lee to shake. "The name is Sato. Rikido Sato," he introduced with a grateful smile.

Lee shook the hand and felt delighted at the strength he felt behind it. "Rock Lee."

Sato smiled as they let go. "Thanks then, Lee, for the save, but we've no time to waste, right?" He turned to leave and said over his shoulder. "Good luck with the rest of the exam."

Lee nodded his head. "I wish you the best of luck as well!" 

With that, the two teens separated and went to accumulate more points. 

Lee jogged around for a few more moments, trying but failing to find any more robots to get points off of. Where had they all gone? The test wasn't over, right?

Without any warning, the ground shook and rumbled like a small earthquake was happening. Lee looked around, wondering what was going on? Was it an Earthquake or something else? 

As if to answer his question, from behind one of the buildings a few blocks away, a robot taller than any of the fake buildings lumbered its way into the streets. It was so heavy, it's footsteps left the street cracked and broken. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped a little. That...what was that?

"What is that?" a person said from somewhere around Lee.

"I have no idea, but I am not going anywhere near it," another answered, voice wobbly.

A part of Lee felt they had the right idea, and with the way his muscles were throbbing, it would be the smarter move to go nowhere near that robot. 

With a mighty swing of its arms, the robot smashed its giant limb into the earth like the world's biggest hammer. The ground broke and cracked like a pack of crackers, and a thick plume of dust erupted into the air. The cracks raced up the street, and the thick pavement cracked and splintered like a plank of wood.

Gasps and strangled sounds of shock and surprise sounded out around him, and Lee felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face. 

This was unreal. 

What were they supposed to do against something like that? Did the Pros even face something like this? 

"One minute left! One minute left!" Present Mic's voice rang out from the speakers scattered throughout the faux city turned battleground. 

The single, giant red eyes flashed a menacing crimson, and it began to stomp its way in their direction one slow, long step at a time. Okay, a minute. He could avoid that thing for a minute. Just as he turned around to go away from the giant robot, a distressed voice met his ears and dread filled his chest.

"Help! Somebody! Somebody help me!" A familiar voice rang out from far away. 

Lee turned fast, and his eyes jumped around to find the source of the call for help. 

There!

Pink in a sea of grey and black. It was Mina, and she was stuck! From what Lee could see, she'd gotten pinned beneath a slab of concrete. 

The robots was scarily close to where Mina was trapped. Maybe a block of two, but for a robot of that size, it meant very little. Crap, she needed help!

"Dude, there's somebody trapped over there!" one of the teens around him called out. 

"And the robot is walking right towards where they are!" another voice said with a tinge of panic.

That much was clear to Lee, so he did not see the point in the teen stating it. 

Lee had to do something. He couldn't just keep standing here being useless, not able to act. This morning, he let indecision nail his feet to the ground, but this time, he wouldn't allow it.

Lee stepped forward, but his legs nearly buckled beneath him. What the-? He tried again only for the same results. When had his legs gotten so fatigued? Had all of the running, jumping, and kicking through metal robots finally caught up to him? Man, just his luck.

He grit his teeth and slapped his thighs, shook his legs out. Now was not the time to be tired. Someone needed help, and he was going to give it to them!

From around him, the surrounding examinees were talking fearfully, eyes locked on the giant robot. Though, none of them made a single move to go help her. 

"She needs help, b-but the teachers wouldn't let somebody get seriously hurt in this test, right? Right?" One of them asked. 

"N-no. Yea, no. They'd stop it before somebody got seriously hurt. They're heroes, and they know what they were doing, haha," one ended with a nervous laugh. 

"You're right! I'm not going to go anywhere near that robot!" Another agreed.

This was the general consensus the teens surrounding Lee came to, and they began to step away from the approaching robot and the stuck Mina. 

Listening to these people decide to do nothing lit a fire in Lee's belly. They would do nothing when someone was stuck and needed help? That was-that was so un-youthful! How could they?! Here they were, with the ability to help someone who clearly needed it, and they chose not to. It was cowardly and heroes weren't cowards.

If they wouldn't do anything, then he would. He would...he would what?

He was viciously reminded of his shaky legs and tired muscles, and he felt helpless. What could he do as he was? He wouldn't be able to save her like this. He needed something more like a boost. He needed…

It dawned on Lee what he would have to do. He'd have to beg Guy-sensei for forgiveness after this, but Lee saw no other option. Nobody else was going to do something, so he would.

With a wince, he reached down and unstrapped his weights from around his ankles. He slid his feet apart as best he could, just like Gai-sensei showed him, and he breathed in deep. His heart rate settled quickly, and he reached deep within himself just like he practiced. He mentally followed his chakra pathways leading to his brain where he knew what he needed was located. There! He found it, glowing hot as the sun. 

Lee reached for it and felt himself become hot and bright like a star.

On the outside, every teen around Lee stopped as they felt some sort of pressure rising from near them. Some thought it was another robot, but quickly that assumption was thrown to the wind as their attention was drawn by a fellow examinee with the shiny bowl-cut. 

In a yell of exertion, the boy shouted and expelled whatever energy was building with a blast of wind and dust. His hair was thrown back, and they had to cover their faces to not get pelted with tiny rocks or dust.

What they heard, they would remember for years to come. The examinees would jot it down as the first time they ever witnessed it. The teachers watching would look upon in surprise, one in recognition, and wonder if they had made all the wrong assumptions of a particular examinee.

"Second Gate: Gate of Healing! Open!"

With a heated breath, Lee zipped away in a flash, moving faster than any examinee in the Battle Arena had seen up until that point right towards the giant Zero-Pointer. 

His goal? 

To save Mina.  
.  
.  
.

Mina felt like panicking right now. 

"Somebody! Anybody! Please, help me! Please!" She called out desperately. The fact she had to call out like this in the first place tore at her pride and made her feel humiliated. When they released the Zero-Pointer, she was unlucky enough to be too close.

And then, in a heart-stopping show of strength, the thing crushed the street which resulted in her current, crappy predicament.

Gosh, how pitiful she must be if she couldn't avoid some stupid pieces of debris. 

She grunted as she once again tried to lift the piece off of her leg, but she just didn't have enough leverage nor strength. She tried to dissolve it, but the cement was too thick for her acid to dissolve before the robot stepped on her. God. Of all things to get stuck under. It just had to be a giant piece of rock.

Totally going to hit the gym after this, she thought to herself sullenly. 

"Help me! I'm stuck! Please, anybody!" She yelled out again to whoever might have heard her. Somebody had to have, right? There were a ton of people in here with her! 

She felt the ground shake underneath her, and she jolted in fear. She looked up to see a shadow move to cover her. She gulped and felt tears prickle in the corners of her eyes. She didn't want to be squished like some kind of bug, but here she was utterly helpless. The robot was getting closer and closer, and she was still stuck. 

A sharp current of fear ran through her despite her best attempts to be calm, to be cool. Heroes were supposed to be calm in the face of giant freakin' robots, right? Right? 

Another thunderous step uncaringly shook her out of her mantra. The robot was closer, its shadow all-encompassing, and she was alone in being swallowed by it. 

She sat up as best she could and pushed at the rock, shooting acid from her hands trying to melt through it, but the rock was too thick. It sizzled and dissolved, but it was still too heavy; there was still so much rock to melt through.

She lifted what felt like all the pounds in the world with arms that most definitely could not lift all the pounds in the whole world. 

She breathed heavily in exertion, her shoulders throbbing and her forearms burning. Her nails were chipped, and her hands hurt from trying to force the darn rock off of her.

The robot ever so slowly raised its foot to take another step. This one would probably do it too. Squish her like she was nothing. But, no! She was more than that! She was going to become a hero and show the whole freaking world what Mina Ashido could do!

She found purchase, her fingers gripping the rough rock, and tried lifting again with all her strength. 

"Allow me to assist you, Mina!"

...Huh

Mina looked up and was greeted with a familiar smile that was quickly becoming one of her favorite things to witness. 

It was Lee! Her heart soared, and she barely had a chance to nod before he put his hands right next to hers. In the back of her mind, she noted the power she felt from being this close, but she was mainly focused on getting unstuck. He was there, and together they heaved making the immovable give way. 

Mina slid out from underneath as quickly as she could before Lee dropped the piece. Mina knew it was heavy, felt it was heavy, seen it was heavy, but they, Lee mostly, just made it seem light as a feather. How strong was he? 

She didn't know any better and guessed maybe it was his Quirk? Something that made him super strong and made it feel like she was next to a small fire?

"No time, Mina. I apologize in advance!" Lee hurriedly told her. 

Wait, huh?

Suddenly, Mina was swept off of the ground and into Lee's arms. On reflex, she threw her arms around his neck, and it was just in time. Lee bent at the knees and dashed away just as the robot's foot crashed into the ground.

To Mina, it felt like she was going 100 miles per hour or something scarily close. Like those moments when you stick your head out of the window when the car is going pretty fast and you can't really see or breathe, but you know you're going crazy fast. Yea, it felt like that. 

It was only a few seconds until they stopped, and Mina felt the sudden shift of momentum shake something in her stomach. 

Oh, oh no. 

She held on only for a couple seconds.

"Time is up examinees! The test is over!" Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the area.

Then she barfed all over Lee.

.  
.  
.

A/N  
Expect the next chapter in a couple weeks, y'all. Sorry for missing the new years/Christmas update. Had to take a break and get my mojo back. I have and now I'm ready for action! Expect the next chapter on Feb 9th. 

Like always read, comment, leave a kudos if you so desire. Till next time!


End file.
